Eric B

The problem I have with ridge vents is that the filter medias often block up over time. The video played fine for me.

I've seen 4 inch vents blocked with frost. I believe that if the weather's severe enough it can push any home beyond its expected limits. Personally, I'd let it slide.

I use to use a screwdriver till this picture made its way to this home's seller. Now I use a small knife blade and don't send anyone a picture of it in the decayed surface. Image Insert: 133.99 KB

Perhaps the inspector who missed the decayed wood did so because he was sidetracked by the camera - he lost sight of his main mission. I think that an inspector's most valuable tools are his eyes, ears and nose. He starts putting too much attention into gizmos and he starts missing stuff, expensive stuff. I think that some of the equipment available to us is useful. And, as already mentioned, not only do we need to understand how to use it, but we also need to recognize when it's diverting our attention.

Kinda enjoyable to look at NAR's earlier moronic predictions. Says little for their credibility. But that was already known.

With many inspectors not knowing how to use the gadgets that they already have, I'm not surprised by the problems that are being raised with these cameras. Besides, don't we have enough hassle with roofers and plumbers who don't have moisture meters?

Scott, At last year's I.W., thermal imaging was the rage. I did not attend any of the seminars but I did talk to guys who did. They said that the use of these cameras requires two people, if done correctly. I don't see this mentioned in any of the training promos. What do you know of the requirement?

Wow Mike, you really got on a tear. For a time ASHI was striving for the 7,000 member mark. I suggested that they concentrate on the members that they had with a little more enforcement and stress on education. I didn't really expect anyone to listen to me. What I am hearing more of from the agents is "How come you're the only inspector who points out some of this stuff?" I raised a question with a well regarded fellow ASHI member a few years ago about the possibility of being OVER-educated. He didn't think that would ever be a problem. But when you compare the average new inspector with a long timer there isn't much to compare. This seems especially true for new agents who have no clue as to what a good inspector can do. I also agree about lack of desire for continuing ed. Too few push the hours past the minimum requirements. I went to I.W. last year for the first time. It was unreal. The caliber of those that went was way beyond what I find at local meetings. Their knowledge base, desire to learn and professionalism was really energizing to be around.

Well I would think that it's safe to think that the brick is not original to the house. Addition is recent - I'd expect the brick is too. I wouldn't even hint to my client that it might not be a problem. Put the burden on someone else to prove what this installation is all about. It's unorthodox and is questionable - it's all I would need to raise the question.

John, You can blame your let down on the false promises and short sightedness of others. I think that if you talk with any long time inspector you'll be told that there are many considerations to be made before getting into our business. But the training schools don't mention most of these. As you know, many inspectors saw training as a way to supplement their income. But the over-hype has mislead new inspectors as well as flooded our field with too many people. To a large extent, we have shot ourselves in our own foot.

Once you close the doors you have shut off the fire's primary source of combustion air. Any other provision in the firebox for combustion air will be insignificant compared to the front opening. So you close the glass doors. Now air is going to rush into the firebox anyway it can which will create quite a disturbance and swirling of the combustion gases from the fire. The soot staining on the glass is the result of the interruption of the nature draft of the fire. Also, because the air flow has been reduced, creosote generation may be increased.

Mike, As for saying 2 200 amp panels - It would seem that that could easily be interrupted by the client as 400 amp service. I think that it is important for the inspector to know what the panels are rated for but not worth communicating to the client. I've had clients notice the disconnect for the subpanel and begin adding up numbers figuring that somehow the 200 amps had been amped up to 300.

Sounds like you saw a 200 amp main panel with sub panel. To say you had 2 200 amp panels would be off the mark. The 200 amp breaker in the sub is irrelevant since power is supplied and limited by the 100 amp breaker in the main panel. The service would be 200 amps. As for the bonding - you lost me.

I don't know how much of a problem it is in other areas but in the Chicago area people shop on price. Can you blame them? After all, virtually all advertising that they see is based on the lowest price. It's been embedded into people's thinking. They can't relate to paying more.

Around here it varies by municipality. I don't even try to keep track of which ones allow it.

Boy, Aren't those "gut" feelings dead on? I notice the rust stains on the underside of the carpet from the tack strip. After trying to confirm that the meter is not giving a false reading I report what I know - water stains and elevated moisture levels measured. If someone wants to assume that there's no leak it ain't goin to be me.

Jason, Looks like a Trane unit. Look for the "Heat pump" designation on the label. Image Insert: 119.71 KB

I use an electronic gas detector to start. If it finds something I'll then use my nose. A final confirmation, if there's still a question, is Sherlock Leak Detector which is what out local gas utilities use. What tends to rile me is when gas leaks, the standard small ones we always find, are made out to be major issues. I saw a house flipping program where a home inspector found a gas leak and began to talk about explosions etc. It got everyone needlessly worked up.

Chris, I use the meter on a relative basis. To be sure it's not giving me false info I check the floor away from the toilet. My report says elevated levels of moisture were measured in the floor at the toilet base. That statement I can substantiate. I tell the client pretty much the same as already mentioned above. The one thing that I learned - pull the client and agent into the bathroom and show them what you did with the meter - how it gives a high reading at the toilet and not elsewhere. Then can see it for themselves and understand what you're reporting. I'll often do the same for a small leak or some other such condition that I expect the contractor won't find. Seeing is believing.

We're primarily conduit around here. But I have seen such installations.

Condensation has been known to drive moisture levels to an amazing 100%. What people often don't understand is how much water can be generated by condensation. BTW - I started a collection of documents written by contractors. I tip my hat to these guys for the crap they think of. Image Insert: 31.68 KB

Chris, I can't say that having a site has made a big difference for me. It doesn't seem as though people in this area rely much on searching online for inspectors. I can say that buyers who have been to my site end up giving me the job and they don't quibble on fees. I do get referrals through ASHI, but not a lot. Funny thing about home inspector sites - there sure are a lot of "most experienced", "most thorough", "most trusted", "most educated", "most knowledgeable" inspectors out there. All that was left for me to brag about was that I exist!

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2704,2209847,00.asp

Pipe jack? Not a term I've heard before.

When the conditions begin to mount up I become more generalized in my comments. "Many conditions of concern in the electric system exists such as: poor and exposed connections, overfusing, poor support/protection of cables, lack of proper bonding. Extent of these conditions was not determined in this inspection. Entire system should have thorough evaluation by qualified electrician. " I'll get to the point where I just stop looking at the electric (as an example) and concentrate on the remainder of the home.